Chief People Officer
Description
About the Company
New York Public Radio is the iconic center of excellence for audio and multiplatform journalism, music, arts and culture, and civic dialogue. NYPR’s mission-driven team produces innovative, critically acclaimed public service and programming for local and national broadcast, streaming and live audiences. The WNYC/Gothamist newsroom produces award-winning local journalism for New York City, New Jersey, and the surrounding region. WQXR, the city’s only all-classical radio station, broadcasts new and archival classical recordings and makes live performances from New York City’s esteemed performance venues available to all. WNYC Studios is a premier producer of on-demand and national broadcast audio, and home to some of the industry’s most impactful award-winning podcasts and national radio shows, including Radiolab, On the Media, and The New Yorker Radio Hour. The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space is NYPR’s broadcast studio and live event space.
Further information about programs, podcasts, and stations may be found at www.nypublicradio.org.
Position Summary
Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief People Officer (CPO) will be a trusted advisor and business partner to the CEO and a critical member of the senior leadership team. He/She/They will collaborate closely with the senior leadership team to ensure that all people and HR strategies are forward-looking and aligned with broader organizational objectives. The CPO is responsible for all HR strategy and operations, including: talent and performance management, culture and employee experience, diversity, equity, and inclusion, HR business partner and employee relations, compensation, learning and development and HR systems, operations and analytics.
As a member of the leadership team, this person will be a highly experienced cross-functional leader who will play a key role in positioning the Company to tackle the challenges of the future. The CPO will be adept at navigating in a matrixed organization that has a storied past, while building a future that fulfills a bold vision and an expansive mission, amid continuous transformation, disruption and change. This leader will also partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to elevate the organization as a cultural and thought leader, reinforcing the company’s values, employer brand and people-first culture.
Role & Responsibilities The key areas of responsibility include:
Strategic Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team, aligning people strategy with NYPR’s mission and long-term strategic priorities.
- Guide organizational design and workforce planning to ensure the right structures, capabilities, and talent are in place to support future growth and innovation.
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- Partner with leadership to navigate periods of change and organizational evolution while strengthening transparency, trust, and accountability across the workforce.
- Lead the transformation and modernization of the People function, strengthening its strategic impact while ensuring operational excellence.
Talent, Leadership & Culture
- Design and implement a forward-looking talent strategy to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent across journalism, digital media, technology, product, and operations.
- Strengthen leadership capability through executive coaching, leadership development programs, and succession planning for critical roles.
- Foster an agile, high-performing, and inclusive culture that supports collaboration, creativity, and innovation across the organization.
- Establish a comprehensive lifecycle approach to talent management, including workforce planning, performance management, career development, and internal mobility.
- Play a key role in strengthening employee relations and union partnerships with roughly half of staff represented by unions.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Partner with leadership to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into business strategy, talent practices, and decision-making across the organization.
People Operations, Systems & Analytics
- Build a modern and scalable People infrastructure that supports organizational growth and operational excellence.
- Drive the evolution of HR systems, processes, and analytics to enable data-driven decision making and measurable organizational performance.
- Establish clear goals and metrics that position the People function as a center of excellence.
- Ensure compliance with all workforce-related regulatory requirements and HR best practices.
- Total Rewards & Governance
- Oversee the design and management of competitive and equitable total rewards programs aligned with NYPR’s strategic priorities.
- Lead executive compensation strategy and partner with the Board and Compensation Committee on governance and related matters.
Qualifications & Experience
Experience
The successful candidate will be a seasoned HR executive with a track record of leading high-performing People organizations and serving as a trusted advisor to CEOs and executive teams. Experience guiding organizations through transformation and building cultures of accountability, engagement, and performance is essential. Experience within media, creative, digital, and mission-driven organizations is preferred.
Functional Expertise
Minimum of 15 years of progressive human resources leadership experience, with deep expertise across talent strategy, organizational transformation, compensation, employee relations, and HR operations.
Strategic Leadership
Demonstrated ability to operate as a strategic advisor and contribute as a member of a senior management team.
Communication & Influence
Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills, with experience presenting to executive leadership and boards or board committees.
Team Leadership
Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams while developing exceptional talent and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
Education
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or relevant graduate degree preferred.
Additional Information
The salary range for this position is $280,000 - $315,000 annually. The exact salary offered within this range is determined by skills, experience and organizational pay equity. NYPR offers excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation, and sick time as well as inclusive paid family leave. The role is based in New York City, and the CEO is expected to work onsite at NYPR’s SoHo headquarters at least 4 days per week.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
New York Public Radio is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We continuously strive to place our employees at the center of our thinking and elevate inclusive practices to develop and support a more engaged and productive workforce. Our journalism and operations in the service of that journalism benefit from a broad range of perspectives, from all backgrounds, at all levels of the organization. Diversity is essential to honest, authentic, accurate storytelling and reportage; creating an institution in which all voices are encouraged, valued, and heard.
Equal Opportunity
New York Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving the goal of equal employment opportunity for all. Applicants and employees are considered and evaluated for positions without regard to mental or physical disability, race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin, citizenship status, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, employment status or any protected federal, state or local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.